This invention relates to a coin separator which is for use in a vending machine or the like.
Such a coin separator is for carrying out separation of an intermittent succession of coins and comprises a coin selecting part, a plurality of coin paths, and a plurality of coin storage parts. Each of the coin paths is coupled between the coin selecting part and each of the storage parts. The coin selecting part is for selecting a particular coin from the coins with reference to a kind of each coin and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,851 issued to Peter R. Johnson et al and assigned to Mars, Inc., McLean, Va. Generally, the particular coin has a predetermined diameter which is different from a diameter of another coin.
The particular coin is delivered to a particular one of the storage parts through a particular one of the coin paths. In order to contain the particular coin, the particular storage part has a diameter slightly larger than the predetermined diameter. The other coin is delivered through another one of the coin paths to another storage part and others.
It will be assumed that the other coin is supplied to the particular coin path in case where the other coin is erroneously selected as the particular coin in the selecting part. In this event, the other coin is also sent towards the particular storage part through the particular coin path.
However, the other coin may not be correctly received in the particular storage part. In case where the diameter of the other coin is larger than the diameter of the particular storage part, the other coin is stopped as an erroneous coin at an inlet end of the particular storage part without being stored therein. As a result, trouble is caused in the coin separator as will presently be described.
When being successively supplied thereafter with the coins to the particular coin path, the coins are superposed with one another on the erroneous coin. This means the coins are arranged along the particular coin path to be adjacent to one another. In other words, arrangement of the coins is expanded one by one in the particular coin path in dependence on supply of the coins. When the particular coin path is filled by the coins, the trouble is caused in the coin separator. This is because operation of the coin selecting part is obstructed by at least one of the coins.